Pubdate: Fri, 09 Mar 2007
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN)
Copyright: 2007 Star Tribune
Contact: http://www.startribunecompany.com/143
Website: http://www.startribune.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/266
Author: Mark Brunswick, Star Tribune
Cited: Brooklyn Junior High School http://www.district279.org/sec/bjh/
Referenced: The Sunday article http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n272/a07.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

STUDENT QUESTIONED ABOUT DAD'S USE OF POT

The Controversy Surrounding a Bill to Allow the Use of Medical 
Marijuana Hits Home for a Junior-High Student in Brooklyn Park.

Shannon Pakonen told a House committee Thursday that his 15-year-old 
son, Sam, was interrogated this week by a teacher at Brooklyn Junior 
High School in Brooklyn Park about his father's use of marijuana for 
medical purposes.

The incident, Pakonen said, demonstrates the need for legislation to 
authorize medical use of the drug.

Lisa Hunter Jensen, the Osseo School District's director of 
school/community relations, said the district had only sketchy 
information about the incident from the school's principal but said 
the district is investigating the matter further.

Telephone calls and e-mails to the school's principal and assistant 
principal as well as the Osseo School District's superintendent and 
school board members were not returned Thursday.

Sam Pakonen was pulled out of math class and told to report to his 
speech teacher, his father said. While there, the teacher asked him 
about his father. Were there marijuana plants in his house? Did he 
ever see his father smoke pot?

No, he replied.

That was on Tuesday. Two days earlier, Sam's father, Shannon, had 
been quoted in a Star Tribune story about a bill in the Legislature 
to allow the use of medical marijuana in the state. He was quoted 
saying he occasionally used marijuana to reduce tics and spasms 
caused by Tourette's syndrome, a neurological disorder. Shannon 
Pakonen had also testified in support of the bill last month in a 
Senate committee hearing.

On Thursday, Shannon Pakonen relayed Sam's story to members of the 
House Health and Human Services Committee, which took testimony on 
the medical marijuana bill and could vote on the measure as early as today.

"My son should not have to be treated like a criminal on the basis 
that he is my son," Pakonen told the committee.

Sam Pakonen was in the audience. After the hearing he retold the 
story. He said he was told to report to the speech teacher because 
his physical education teacher reported having difficulty 
understanding him. He was born prematurely and has several 
developmental disabilities. While he said he sometimes has difficulty 
with his speech, the physical education teacher had never made that 
claim in seven months of having him in his class.

The speech teacher asked the questions about the marijuana.

Measure Stirs Controversy

Shannon Pakonen, who said he obtains the marijuana from friends and 
does not smoke it in front of his son, said the actions at the school 
help illustrate the problems associated with the medical use of 
marijuana today.

A proposal that would have Minnesota join eight other states in 
approving such use has bipartisan support in the House and Senate but 
Gov. Tim Pawlenty opposes the measure, fearing that it sends the 
wrong message about the dangers of the drug.

Other opponents, such as the Minnesota Family Council and the 
Minnesota County Attorneys Association, have testified that marijuana 
could end up in the wrong hands.

Pakonen said he called an assistant principal at the school to 
complain on Wednesday and was told the physical education teacher was 
curious because she suffered from chronic pain. He was told that Sam 
had brought up the issue of medical marijuana. The boy said that 
never happened.

"I think they were trying to make the case to take my son away from 
me," Shannon Pakonen said after the hearing. "They want to victimize 
someone. I was going to be punished for exercising my right to speak out."

While unfamiliar with the specifics of the case, Barry Feld, a 
professor at the University of Minnesota law school specializing in 
juvenile justice, said police, teachers or other people in authority 
have a right to ask about allegations of impropriety, particularly if 
it involves potential child abuse or neglect.

"They would certainly be in a position to ask the kid about what goes 
on in the house," Feld said.

But Feld said there are statutes protecting family communications 
from being used against someone.

"It's to encourage kids to talk to their parents about problems," he said.

One of the measure's supporters is Rep. Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, a 
former House speaker who once opposed the use of medical marijuana 
but has since signed on as a co-author.

"This is an example of why we need to pass this kind of bill," 
Sviggum said after being told about the school incident. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake